Oklahoma State University's Response To Sexual Assault Reports Was 'Misguided'

The response by officials at Oklahoma State University to a series of sexual assault reports on campus was “misguided,” according to a report from OSU's governing board.

A special counsel's report from the Board of Regents for Oklahoma State University and the A&M Colleges concludes OSU officials misinterpreted the Federal Education Rights Privacy Act in their handling of the case. University officials have claimed the act barred them from calling police after they learned of allegations of sexual assaults.

The report, which was released Monday, concludes the act wouldn't have prevented officials from calling the police immediately after learning about the allegations. However, OSU officials also did not break any law or internal policy by not calling police, according to the report.

Former OSU student Nathan Cochran, 22, faces four counts of sexual battery in Payne County in connection with three incidents reported as occurring between Nov. 3, 2011, and Aug. 15.